How Football Fans Found an Awesome Way to Cheer up Sick Kids

Small gestures can make a huge difference and few people know this better than the children at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa.

The hospital is located right across from the University of Iowa's football stadium and each time the Hawkeyes take the field, the children staying at hospital get to watch the game from the top floor.

The Hawkeyes' fans know that the kids are watching and cheering from across the street and came up with a heartwarming tradidion to raise the young patients' spirits.

At every game, at then end of the first quarter, almost 70,000 fans now stand up and wave to the children who excitedly waved back.

The kids absolutely love it and this initiative is only one of many between the Hawkeyes and the nearby hospital.

The partnership began in 2009 with a unique and heartwarming opportunity for both the players and a lucky patient.

For the past eight years, the team has chosen a “kid captain,” a former or current patient who is awarded their own jersey and is able to sit with the players on the sidelines during every home game.

The team’s commitment to goodwill doesn’t end there. Players also encourage fans to make a donation to the hospital for every touchdown scored during their “Touchdowns for Kids” game, which raised $42,000 last year.

Along with their fans, this football team scores major points for giving back to their community.

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